Cortical Auditory Processing of Simple Stimuli Is Altered in Autism: A Meta-analysis of Auditory Evoked Responses

AbstractAuditory evoked fields (AEFs) are commonly studied, yet their underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we used the biophysical modelling software Human Neocortical Neurosolver (HNN) whose foundation is a canonical neocortical circuit model to interpret the cell and network mechanisms contributing to macroscale AEFs elicited by a simple tone, measured with magnetoencephalography. We found that AEFs can be reproduced by activating the neocortical circuit through a layer specific sequence of feedforward and feedback excitatory synaptic drives, similar to prior simulation of somatosensory evoked responses, supporting the notion that basic structures and activation patterns are preserved across sensory regions. We also applied the modeling framework to develop and test predictions on neural mechanisms underlying AEF differences in the left and right hemispheres, as well as in hemispheres contralateral and ipsilateral to the presentation of the auditory stimulus. We found that increasing the strength of the excitatory synaptic cortical feedback inputs to supragranular layers simulates the commonly observed right hemisphere dominance, while decreasing the input latencies and simultaneously increasing the number of cells contributing to the signal accounted for the contralateral dominance. These results provide a direct link between human data and prior animal studies and lay the foundation for future translational research examining the mechanisms underlying alteration in this fundamental biomarker of auditory processing in healthy cognition and neuropathology.

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Auditory processing and auditory rehabilitation approaches in autism

Auditory and Vestibular Research ◽

10.18502/avr.v28i1.410 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Abdollah Moossavi ◽

Marziyeh Moallemi

Keyword(s):

Music Therapy ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Auditory Processing ◽

Sensory Integration ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Review Article ◽

Auditory Modality ◽

Evoked Responses ◽

Auditory Evoked Responses ◽

Auditory Rehabilitation

Background and Aim: Concerning the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder, many studies have examined the various aspects of this disorder. One of the major problems in autism is the sensory processing deficit, and in particular the abnormalities of auditory processing. In this review article, we have tried to explain the neurological features of auditory processing and abnormalities in auditory evoked responses in autism, finally recount some of the main methods of auditory rehabilitation. Recent Findings: We searched for articles in databases with keywords of “autism,” “auditory processing” and “auditory rehabilitation.” A total of 102 articles were initially found in this field. Some articles were not about our study topic, thus in the end, only 79 articles were entered the study published from 1989 to 2018. Based on these studies, autism associates with a weakness in sensory integration due to abnormal interactions between different neural networks. This condition of auditory modality are being manifested as different abnormalities in evoked responses, especially for complex stimuli at the level of the brainstem and cortex. Language and speech problems are prevalent in many patients with autism, which has already been mentioned in numerous studies. To treat these deficits, appropriate auditory rehabilitation techniques (often using music to improve the symptoms) have been developed. Conclusion: In order to know more about autism and adopt appropriate interventions, doing audiometric, behavioral and electrophysiological evaluations are recommended on a regular basis. Rehabilitation in this disorder generally include music therapy, signal-to-noise enhancement strategies, and cognitive behavioral therapies.

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Brainstem auditory evoked responses in patients with cerebellar lesion

Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology ◽

10.1016/s0013-4694(97)88459-7 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 103 (1) ◽

pp. 107

Author(s):

K Bozic

Keyword(s):

Cerebellar Lesion ◽

Evoked Responses ◽

Auditory Evoked Responses

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Binaural Interaction in Early, Middle and Late Auditory Evoked Responses

International Journal of Audiology ◽

10.3109/14992028409042139 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 293-296

Author(s):

F. Debruyne

Keyword(s):

Evoked Responses ◽

Auditory Evoked Responses ◽

Binaural Interaction

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Distortion and Western Music Chord Processing

Music Perception An Interdisciplinary Journal ◽

10.1525/mp.2018.35.3.315 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 315-331 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Paula Virtala ◽

Minna Huotilainen ◽

Esa Lilja ◽

Juha Ojala ◽

Mari Tervaniemi

Keyword(s):

Auditory Processing ◽

Rock Music ◽

Standard Stimulus ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Special Role ◽

Electric Guitar ◽

Heavy Metal Music ◽

Major Chord ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Cortical Auditory Processing

Guitar distortion used in rock music modifies a chord so that new frequencies appear in its harmonic structure. A distorted dyad (power chord) has a special role in heavy metal music due to its harmonics that create a major third interval, making it similar to a major chord. We investigated how distortion affects cortical auditory processing of chords in musicians and nonmusicians. Electric guitar chords with or without distortion and with or without the interval of the major third (i.e., triads or dyads) were presented in an oddball design where one of them served as a repeating standard stimulus and others served as occasional deviants. This enabled the recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) of the electroencephalogram (EEG) related to deviance processing (the mismatch negativity MMN and the attention-related P3a component) in an ignore condition. MMN and P3a responses were elicited in most paradigms. Distorted chords in a nondistorted context only elicited early P3a responses. However, the power chord did not demonstrate a special role in the level of the ERPs. Earlier and larger MMN and P3a responses were elicited when distortion was modified compared to when only harmony (triad vs. dyad) was modified between standards and deviants. The MMN responses were largest when distortion and harmony deviated simultaneously. Musicians demonstrated larger P3a responses than nonmusicians. The results suggest mostly independent cortical auditory processing of distortion and harmony in Western individuals, and facilitated chord change processing in musicians compared to nonmusicians. While distortion has been used in heavy rock music for decades, this study is among the first ones to shed light on its cortical basis.

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Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Responses

Acta Neurologica Scandinavica ◽

10.1111/j.1600-0404.1980.tb03005.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 64-64

Author(s):

Khalil Kayed ◽

Reidar Kloster

Keyword(s):

Brain Stem ◽

Evoked Responses ◽

Auditory Evoked Responses

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State-Dependent Variations in Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses in Human Subjects

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1984.59.3.731 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 731-738 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

E. A. Sersen ◽

J. Majkowski ◽

J. Clausen ◽

G. M. Heaney

Keyword(s):

Clinical Significance ◽

Human Subjects ◽

General Tendency ◽

Evoked Responses ◽

Brain Areas ◽

Auditory Evoked Responses ◽

State Dependent

BAERs from 16 subjects during 3 sessions varied in the latency or amplitude of some components depending upon level of arousal as indicated by EEG patterns. There was a general tendency for activation to produce the fastest responses with the largest amplitudes and for drowsiness to produce the slowest responses with the smallest amplitudes. The latency of P2 was significantly prolonged during drowsiness, relative to those during relaxation or activation. For right-ear stimulation, P5 latency was longest during drowsiness, and shortest during activation while for left-ear stimulation the shortest latency occurred during relaxation. The amplitudes of Wave II and Wave VII were significantly smaller during drowsiness than during activation. Although the differences were below the level of clinical significance, the data indicate a modification in the characteristics of brainstem transmission as a function of concurrent activity in other brain areas.

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